Buffer station for stocker system
AssigneeDynamic Micro Systems
InventorLutz Rebstock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A buffer station provides potential improvement for the operation of a facility. By storing to-be accessed workpieces in the buffer stations of an equipment, the operation of the facility is not interrupted when the equipment is down. The workpieces can be retrieved through emergency access port of the buffer station, thus ensure the continuous supply of workpieces for the workpiece flow of the facility. Algorithm for getting the needed workpieces to the buffer station is also provided through a controller or a computer mechanism. The buffer station can be incorporated in a stocker, such as wafer stocked or reticle stocker.
Claims20
A method to provide continuous operation so facility, the method comprising:
- Storing a plurality of workpieces in a buffer station, wherein the buffer station is separate from a storage chamber, and
- Wherein the buffer station comprises an access for accessing the plurality of workpieces without exposing the plurality of workpieces in the storage chamber.
A method to provide continuous operations of a facility, the method comprising:
- retrieving a plurality of workpieces that is queued to be processed;
- storing the retrieved plurality of workpieces in a buffer station, wherein the buffer station is separate from a chamber for holding the plurality of workpieces, and
- wherein the buffer station comprises an external access for accessing the plurality of workpieces during time of equipment failure.
A machine read able medium comprising machine executable program instructions which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for improving continuous operation of a facility, the method comprising:
- determining a plurality of workpieces needed to be removed from a stocker for a next predetermined period, and
- wherein the determined plurality of workpieces is stored in a buffer station, wherein the buffer station comprises an access for accessing the plurality of workpieces, the access permitting removal of the plurality of workpieces in the buffer station without exposing the plurality of workpieces in the storage chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.